My First Batch of Rumtopf

[scloyd]

On a recent thread about cherry tasting and drinks member Mike Thompson posted that he uses cherries and makes Rumtopf for Christmas. I never heard of Rumtopf and contacted Mike about it and we messaged each other back and forth. Today I made my first batch using peaches, pears, red grapes, strawberries and cranberries...cherries are not available here this time of year. I made it in two quart size mason jars. If it turns out good I'll probably invest in a nice clay Rumtopf clay pot. It won't be ready for Christmas...should be ready for my birthday in March.
Hats off to Mike for his help.
Here is my first batch of Rumtopf...hopefully I didn't f**k it up.

 

[bluto]

Looks good , so it's basically a fruit infused rum ..
Reminds me of my traditional Christmas fruit cake , I soak dried fruits and candied peel in navy rum , then into a molasses batter and finished in marzipan icing
.. it lasts for a year , still fresh marinated ,but usually all gone within the week

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

Looks absolutely delicious! Reminds me of my old PJ days....and it still makes me shudder to remember how much of it I drank...well, I'm sure rum will be much better than the Everclear. It's a shame it takes so long to make. 6 months of wait time, and it'll be gone not long after cracking, I'm sure! You'll certainly have to let us know how it is.

 

[scloyd]

Reminds me of my traditional Christmas fruit cake

I love fruit cake at Christmas. Even the crappy cheap one's that are mass produced.

 

[bluto]

No crappy mass production for me
From scratch or nothing

 

[mikethompson]

I'm glad I could help! I grew up with rumtopf and one year I messed up the batch and it got ruined. We didn't have any for Christmas, and it was like not having a tree or lights.

 

[weezell]

I love fruit cake at Christmas. Even the crappy cheap one's that are mass produced.

MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm GOOD... :D

 

[mikethompson]

Here's my batch that was put away in the early summer when the cherries were in season. I use a ceramic jar and give it am good seal with plastic wrap. The fruit will take on a lighter shade as it absorbs the rum. The smell when I cracked it open was INCREDIBLE.

 

[scloyd]

Thanks for posting pictures of yours. Did you taste test it?
Oh boy! I can't wait to see how mine turns out.

 

[lawdawg]

That looks delicious. Mrs. Lawdawg tried making some mulled wine ("Gluhwein") two years ago, and it did not really work out very well, though in all fairness her kitchen experiment results are usually very good.

 

[mikethompson]

No, no taste testing just yet. Although by the smell and looks of it, it is ready to go.
Glühwein is another favorite, although I've never made it myself.

 

[mikethompson]

It is time!
The rumtopf is ready to be enjoyed by yours truly tonight, perhaps with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. :puffpipe:

 

[d4k23]

My aunt one Christmas came around giving spoonfuls of raisins soaked in rum, not bad but not great.
If the cherry runtopf is anything like Ginjha (Portguese cherry liquor) then I bet it's delicious! Enjoy and confirm the goodness!

 

[scloyd]

Enjoy Mike. I checked mine the other day...looks like it's doing ok. I plan on taste testing it on Christmas.

 

[headhunter]

I know everyone probably has their own recipe that they follow, I have never tried it would someone have a recipe that they would share ?

 

[spartacus]

That looks really good. Unfortunately, my obsessive compulsive behaviors makes drinking spirits a problem. I'm now in the abstinence camp but do enjoy!

 

[bnichols23]

Brandied fruit, etc., is just the ultimate evolution of fruitcake fertilizer (IMONotSoHumble-At-All-O, of course.) Being a guy in recovery I don't imbibe, of course, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the product!

 

[saltedplug]

Recovery here, too. Planned to hold onto the pipe but had to let that go, too, and ain't that just a b*tch!

 

[mikethompson]

Bill I don't mean for you to relapse because of me!
Nothing to see here, move along, move along.

 

[bnichols23]

Worry not, Mike. I'm solid, other than a sip of altar wine at Eucharist. I'm a better & healthier (i.e., not dead) dude for it. I abides.